With the announcement of a partnership between TAG Heuer, Intel, and Google to produce an Android-powered smartwatch – more eyes will be watching this nascent segment of the tech industry, for which commercial success has remained an elusive goal.

Baselworld is one of those places where stuff just happens. I was passing by the TAG Heuer booth when I was summoned into the back by Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, for an impromptu chat about TAG's recently-announced partnership with Google and Intel to make a smartwatch. We didn't have the chance to get too in-depth before Mr. F.P. Journe popped his head into the room to say hello, accompanied by mega-collector Claude Sfeir. Oh, and then half of the band KISS showed up and our conversation quickly derailed.

Of the nearly 29 million watches shipped out of Switzerland last year, only eight million were mechanical watches of the sort we cover at HODINKEE. And the other ~21 million? Well, those fall into a category dubbed "Electronic" (by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry), referring to what are, for the most part, quartz-powered watches. This market segment, with consumers in search of watches below the $1,000 mark, is precisely where MMT CEO Peter Stas feels that "Swiss Horological Smartwatches" can thrive.

In keeping with their trademark cinematic presentations of new products, today Apple confirmed more information about the device that has had the tech world in a tizzy: the Apple Watch. In addition to pricing for all variants of the device (including the $10,000 to $17,000 (!) solid gold Apple Watch Edition), the company finally revealed more information about the battery life and the nature of connectivity with the iPhone.

The Withings Activité is by and large a fashionable smartwatch. This is not a fact that the maker, Withings, tries to hide. (Withings’ product line are all very design-focused, including a futuristic Smart Kid Scale that links to a smart phone to track a child’s growth). But, amisdt the number of smartwatch prototypes and accessories coming onto the market, the Activité caught our attention because it actually looks good. Really–the clean Junghans-esque design is something to be appreciated. Moreover, the Activité reflects an interesting approach to the smart watch concept: by hiding the brash technical aspects of the product, in theory it will be more wearable.

We all knew it was coming, but we just didn't know in what capacity the technology would manifest itself at first. As of this morning, the first of 2015, Montblanc presents the first foray into digital wearables from a traditional luxury brand with its Timewalker Urban Speed e-Strap. Click through for the details.

I'm not even sure we can call it a watch. Okay, it goes on the wrist, and it happens to tell the time, but that's about where the similarities between Apple's just announced watch and the hand-assembled, often painstakingly finished mechanical watches we write about, and obsess over, end. I was lucky enough to be invited to Cupertino to witness the announcement of the Apple Watch firsthand, and though I do not believe it poses any threat to haute horology manufactures, I do think the Apple Watch will be a big problem for low-priced quartz watches, and even some entry-level mechanical watches. In years to come, it could pose a larger threat to higher end brands, too.

We think it's a fair assumption that a few of you might be interested in checking out the Apple Watch months before it hits stores, and at Colette in Paris today, you'll have the chance. As a special opportunity set right in the middle of Paris Fashion Week, Apple will be displaying their watch (which we went hands-on with here) from midnight to 11:59 p.m. today, Tuesday, September 30th. Additionally, the watch will be on display to try out inside Colette from 11a.m. – 7 p.m. If you happen to be in Paris, go on over and check it out.